What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedDark Shadows
Tim Burton · Film · 2012
If you loved Dark Shadows, start with Dark Shadows (Dan Curtis, 1966) — a series from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Dark Shadows across media.
If you loved Dark Shadows, you clearly crave the delicious tension between macabre, centuries-old supernatural entities and the jarring realities of modern life.
Start with the source
The source
Dark Shadows
Dan Curtis · Series · 1966
Books on the same thread
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Ray Bradbury · Book · 1962
Explores: Good vs Evil, Loss of Innocence, Temptation.
Much like the looming atmosphere of Collinwood Manor in Dark Shadows, this story captures the creeping dread of an ancient, supernatural evil infiltrating a quiet, unsuspecting community.
Fifty Shades Darker
E L James · Book · 2012
Explores: Power dynamics, Dominance and submission, Dark pasts.
The intense power dynamics and secrets surrounding Christian Grey mirror the gothic mystery and emotional weight that Barnabas Collins brings to his own complicated relationships in Dark Shadows.
The Shadow
James Patterson and Brian Sitts · Book
Explores: vigilante justice, fish out of water, arch-nemesis.
This story mirrors the core fish-out-of-water premise of Dark Shadows, as a hero from a bygone era struggles to adapt to a world that has drastically changed.
The Dark Tower
Stephen King · Book · 1982
Explores: Good vs Evil, Parallel Worlds, Gunslingers.
Fans of Dark Shadows will appreciate this epic quest that blends horror and fantasy, where the struggle against ancient evil echoes the dark, supernatural legacy of the Collins family.
Series on the same thread
What We Do in the Shadows
Jemaine Clement · Series · 2019
Shares 2 threads with Dark Shadows: Dark Humor, Vampire Comedy.
This series perfectly captures the vampire comedy elements of Dark Shadows, focusing on the humorous, daily friction of immortal beings attempting to navigate our modern, mundane world.
The Addams Family
Charles Addams · Series · 1964
Shares a thread with Dark Shadows: Gothic Comedy.
The Addams Family shares the same gothic comedy DNA as Dark Shadows, celebrating a wealthy, eccentric clan that remains blissfully indifferent to how their macabre lifestyle unsettles others.
Beetlejuice
Tim Burton · Series · 1989
Shares 3 threads with Dark Shadows: Culture Clash, Gothic Comedy, Supernatural Comedy.
Tim Burton fans who enjoyed the visual style of Dark Shadows will find this afterlife adventure equally charming, blending supernatural elements with a quirky, gothic sense of humor.
The Sandman
Neil Gaiman · Series · 2022
Explores: Cosmic Horror, Existentialism, Redemption.
Like the mythic stakes found in Dark Shadows, this journey follows an ancient, powerful figure reclaiming his domain, offering a dark fantasy experience that feels both epic and intimate.
Podcasts on the same thread
Dark History
Audioboom Studios · Podcast · 2026
Explores: untold narratives, institutional corruption, societal taboos.
If the revisionist, macabre history of the Collins family intrigued you in Dark Shadows, this podcast provides a similar fascination with the darker, untold secrets of our past.
Small Town Murder
James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: provincial life, tragic irony, forensic breakdown.
This podcast mirrors the dark, investigative spirit of Dark Shadows by applying a sharp comedic lens to tragic, mysterious events, proving that even the grimmest stories hold humor.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is the 2012 Dark Shadows movie a remake of the 1966 series?
The 2012 Dark Shadows film directed by Tim Burton serves as an adaptation of the original 1966 television series. While the movie focuses on Barnabas Collins emerging into 1972, the source material provided the foundation for the character and the setting of Collinwood Manor.
Does the 2012 Dark Shadows movie follow the 1966 television plot?
The 2012 Dark Shadows movie is based on the 1966 television series but functions as a standalone film adaptation. The movie depicts Barnabas Collins being freed from his tomb to find his family estate in ruin, capturing the gothic tone established in the original 1966 source material.
Should I watch the 1966 Dark Shadows series before the 2012 movie?
Watching the 1966 Dark Shadows series is not required to understand the 2012 movie. Both productions center on the character of Barnabas Collins and the history of Collinwood Manor, but the film provides a self-contained narrative regarding his reemergence in the year 1972.
How does the setting of the 2012 Dark Shadows movie compare to the 1966 original?
The 2012 Dark Shadows movie updates the setting by having Barnabas Collins emerge into the year 1972. While the 1966 Dark Shadows series established the gothic atmosphere of Collinwood Manor, the film uses this specific time period to highlight the contrast between the vampire and the changed world.